The Power of Prayer: Don’t Wish, Pray!
By Alexis A. Goring
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” - Philippians 4:6-7 NIV
Many years ago, I saw a meme on Facebook of a little girl looking up at the stars in the sky through her window. The caption read: “Why wish upon a star when you can pray to the One who made it?” I found this to be such a profound truth that so many of us don’t realize. How often have we said, “I wish” for something? It’s such a common saying that I think most of us don’t think about the words we’re speaking nor the power of prayer.
Just a few days ago, I visited one of my favorite stores and saw a set of beautiful dresses, all in vibrant spring colors. My first thought was, “I wish I could afford to buy a whole new wardrobe of these dresses for this spring and summer!”
Immediately, I corrected myself by saying silently, “No! I am not going to wish, I am going to pray!” I decided then and there to quietly pray to my God who always makes a way out of no way. So I left my prayer request in His Hands. The Bible says that God owns the cattle on a thousand hills (Psalm 50:10). Clearly, if He wants me to have money to buy something, He will make a way like He always does. Remember: We serve a God who can part an entire body of water (The Red Sea) to allow His people to safely walk on dry ground until they reach the other side. My point is: God’s Hand is not—nor will it ever be—too short to save us! He still performs miracles for His people today. God loves you with all of His Heart and will never leave you nor forsake you (Hebrews 13:5). You can trust Him and talk to Him about everything that is on your heart. He is always listening and ready to respond. Remember: While we are supposed to go to God to meet our needs, we must remember that He is not a genie. This means we shouldn’t think that He will answer all of our prayers the way we want. But we can trust that God will always answer our prayers in ways that we need. Let’s not be discouraged if God tells us no or asks us to wait. We can trust that He has the best in store for us, and it is better than we can imagine.
Why wish upon a star when we can pray to the One who created it? The Bible says that in the beginning, God created the Heavens and the Earth (Genesis 1:1) and that He knows the end from the beginning (Isaiah 46:10). I believe this means that not only does God know everything about us, He knew how human history would end before it began! He made everything, including us, and He has our best interest at heart. God knew no matter how hard we tried, we would never be perfect and sinless. That is why He sent His Son (Jesus Christ) to save us. The Bible says in John 3:16-17 (NIV), “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.”
God is the Creator of all those billions of brilliant stars we see shining bright against the backdrop of the midnight blue sky. The Bible says He knows each one by name (Isaiah 40:26) just like He knows each of us by name. So why would we whimsically pray to the creation when we can talk directly to the Creator?
The Bible says that God loves to give His children good gifts (Matthew 7:11). So if your heart desires new apparel or if you need a new car or sufficient income to pay your bills…whatever you want and need, bring it to God and ask for it in Jesus’s Name. While we wait on God’s provision, we need to trust His timing. We can trust that God always hears and answers our every prayer, even when we feel He is silent and not responding. He may not provide for us in the exact way we want, but He will always give us everything we need in His perfect time.
Intersecting Faith and Life:
How does it feel to know you have a Heavenly Father who loves you and provides for you? When was the last time you prayed instead of making a wish?
Further Reading:
James 1:17
Hebrews 4:16
Philippians 4:19
Psalm 136:1-3
Psalm 86:15
Photo Credit: Ben White/Unsplash
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